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put to a vote. It’s not
about alcohol, it’s about
our freedom of speech in
a democratic society.accepted? Is the claim, data
or warrant actually related
to the principle stated? Are
there common exceptions
to the principle? What are
the practical consequences
of following the principle in
this case?
T Testimony Personal
experience
I’ve lost friends from age
18 to 67 to alcohol. It
impacts all ages, and its
effects are cumulative.
Let me tell you about two
friends in particular.Is the testimony authentic?
Is it relevant? Is it
representative of other’s
experiences? Use the STAR
system to help evaluate the
use of testimony.Evidence
Now that we’ve clearly outlined several argument strategies, how do you support your
position with evidence or warrants? If your premise or the background from which you
start is valid, and your claim is clear and clearly related, the audience will naturally turn
their attention to “prove it.” This is where the relevance of evidence becomes
particularly important. Here are three guidelines to consider in order to insure your
evidence passes the “so what?” test of relevance in relation to your claim. Make sure
your evidence has the following traits:
- Supportive. Examples are clearly representative, statistics are accurate, testimony is
authoritative, and information is reliable. - Relevant. Examples clearly relate to the claim or topic, and you are not comparing
“apples to oranges.” - Effective. Examples are clearly the best available to support the claim, quality is
preferred to quantity, there are only a few well-chosen statistics, facts, or data.
Appealing to Emotions
While we’ve highlighted several points to consider when selecting information to
support your claim, know that Aristotle strongly preferred an argument based in logic
over emotion. Can the same be said for your audience, and to what degree is emotion
and your appeal to it in your audience a part of modern life?
Emotions are a psychological and physical reaction, such as fear or anger, to stimuli that
we experience as a feeling. Our feelings or emotions directly impact our own point of
view and readiness to communicate, but also influence how, why, and when we say
things. Emotions influence not only how you say or what you say, but also how you hear
or what you hear. At times, emotions can be challenging to control. Emotions will move
your audience, and possibly even move you, to change or act in certain ways.